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So I had my oil analyzed on my 2012 Thruxton on my first real oil change, not counting the break-in service done by the dealer at 500 miles. The lab came back suggesting 3000 mile oil changes instead of 6000 and said there was an unusually high amount of lead in the oil suggesting increased bearing wear.

Anybody, wondering if anybody else has done a oil analysis?

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Registered

It would be interesting to know how many lead-babbitt bearings there are in our engines. I always assumed, except for the cams and transmission, all of our engine bearing are rollers, needles or balls. We're both using the same oil and have the same bikes - so I may shorten my oil change interval.

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Usually it's better to look at trends over several reports rather than looking at one
report in isolation. If it's still shedding lead in another 3000 miles, you can always
bring that info to your dealer since the bike is under warranty.

Premium Member

bike is too new to base oil change intervals on one report as it is probably being contaminated with "wear in" materials rather than wearing out.

do next oil change at 3,000 miles rather than 5,000 and have oil analysed and use results for a schedule that best sets your bike

however from my experience I think oil changes at 6,000 miles are too long having tried that myself, and also found 3,000 miles are too short, so have settled on 5,000 miles

with my work I have access to an oil test lab and found that the oil (fully syn) was starting to deteriorate at 6,000 miles although it was still within the lower tolerance of spec, hence 5,000 miles schedule

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Bonza, confirming you mean "miles' vs 'kilometres'? 5,000 miles feels to be an interval on the long side although this is not based on any science or verified data. I change my syn oil at a shorter intervals (around 2500 miles or shorter) accepting that I am likely spending more on oil than I need to but the additional $ is tolerable for me for peace of mind. Weather is Norcal is not extreme by any degree.

Banned

I'm not currently a high-mileage rider, I've had mine for 2 1/2 years (three full riding seasons) and will only hit 10K miles tomorrow (literally). Is there a recommended time interval I should be using instead?

Registered

I'm not currently a high-mileage rider, I've had mine for 2 1/2 years (three full riding seasons) and will only hit 10K miles tomorrow (literally). Is there a recommended time interval I should be using instead?

Registered

Mine is 6,000 miles or one year, worth noting that the factory ships the bikes with a breaking in oil installed, so the first oil changes will be contaminated.
Oil is expensive in the UK so I will go the 6,000.

Registered

You had an oil analysis done that early, on a new bike? Why??? This isn't a harley. Quit worrying, change the oil and ride the thing. If your bearings or other internals were that worn so much that there was that much lead on the oil as a result, your motor would be knocking like a Jehovahs witness on a weekend. The only knocking I think is going on here is your paranoia. They couldn't even spell Thruxton correctly. On second thought, your potassium is quite low, you may want to stick a banana in there.

Premium Member

I'm not currently a high-mileage rider, I've had mine for 2 1/2 years (three full riding seasons) and will only hit 10K miles tomorrow (literally). Is there a recommended time interval I should be using instead?

Your Subaru probably doesn't have a wet clutch like a bike, so less material is getting into the oil of the car engine.
I've done the used oil analysis on my car and it's still good at 10k miles! I usually change the oil in the bike around 5k, and it has come back as still being good.

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Many years ago a friend of mine had the oil in his volkswagen analysed and the report was basically the same - since then I change the oil in my bikes & cars at 1/2 the stated interval. If they say 10,000 I chage at 5, if it's 6,000 I change at 3.

All in all for the relatively low cost of oil & filter whay the hell...

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I guess halving the oil change interval is a great way to reduce the levels of all containments, after all if it's only in half as long it should only get half the amount of the stuff in there that wasn't there to start with. Doesn't mean it's been any better for the engine of course.

Premium Member

Bonza, confirming you mean "miles' vs 'kilometres'? 5,000 miles feels to be an interval on the long side although this is not based on any science or verified data. I change my syn oil at a shorter intervals (around 2500 miles or shorter) accepting that I am likely spending more on oil than I need to but the additional $ is tolerable for me for peace of mind. Weather is Norcal is not extreme by any degree.

Registered

You had an oil analysis done that early, on a new bike? Why??? This isn't a harley. Quit worrying, change the oil and ride the thing. If your bearings or other internals were that worn so much that there was that much lead on the oil as a result, your motor would be knocking like a Jehovahs witness on a weekend. The only knocking I think is going on here is your paranoia. They couldn't even spell Thruxton correctly. On second thought, your potassium is quite low, you may want to stick a banana in there.